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Van Pelfs 
Cow Demonstration 



By HUGH G. VAN PELT 



Published by 

Kimbairs Dairy Farmer 

Waterloo, Iowa 



Van Pelt's 
CoT^ Demonstration 



By 
HUGH G. VAN PELT 

Iowa Dairy Expert 




PUBLISHED BY 

KIMBALL'S DAIRY FARMER 

WATERLOO/IOWA 
1911 






^,p:1 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 
List of illustrations 5 

Introduction 7 

CHAPTER I. 

Five essential points of a productive cow 11 

CHAPTER II. 

Constitution of the cow 19 

CHAPTER III. 

Capacity 2^ 

CHAPTER IV. 

Nervous temperament 35 

CHAPTER V. 

Blood circulation 41 

CHAPTER VI. 

Ability 53 

CHAPTER VII. 

Other desirable points ,. 63 

CHARI'ER VIII. 

How to secure cows combining the five essential points. . . .67 

CHAPTER IX. 

The accurate proof of the cow's value 81 



[41 

©CU30«.779 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 
Parthenia Hengerveld — A many times champion Holstein cow 
in the largest shows of America. Owned by W. B. Barney 
& Sons, Hampton, Iowa Frontispiece 

Bosniana's Anna — Champion Jersey cow Iowa and National 
Dairy Shows, 1910. Owned by C. I. Hudson, East Norwich, 
Long Island, N, Y 12 and 56 

Auchenbrain's White Beauty 2nd — A champion Ayrshire cow, 

owned by Penshurst Farm, Narberth, Pa 14 

Colantha 4th's Johanna — Champion cow of the world. Record 
1247.95 pounds butter, 80 per cent fat in one year. Owned 
by W. J. Gillette, Rosendale, Wis 52 

First and second prize Ayrshire cows at the Iowa and National 
Dairy Shows, 1910. Owned by L. A. Reyman Estate, Wheel- 
ing, W. Va., and Ryanogue Farm, Brewster, N. Y., re- 
spectively 64 

Boghall's Snowdrop — Champion Ayrshire cow at the Iowa and 
National Dairy Shows, 1910. Owned by L. A. Reyman Est., 
Wheeling, W. Va 10 

Dairy Maid of Pinehurst — Champion 3-year-old cow of the 
world. Record 1012.07 pounds butter, 80 per cent fat, in 
one year. Owned by W. W. Marsh, Waterloo, Iowa 18, 20, 24, 26 

Jacoba Irene — Champion long distance cow of the world. 2053 
pounds, 15.3 ounces butter, 85 per cent fat in two years. 
Owned by F. B. Keeney, Warsaw, N. Y 28, 34, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62 

Lord Mar — An undefeated Guernsey bull. Owned by W. W. 

Marsh, Waterloo, Iowa 70 

The head of a champion Guernsey bull 82 

Howie's Fizzaway — Ayrshire bull. Champion winner at National 
Dairy Show, 1909. Owned by J. F. Converse & Son, 
Woodville, N. Y 76 

Netherhall Brownie IX. — Champion Ayrshire cow. Record 
1025.11 pounds butter, 80 per cent fat, in one year. Owned 
by J. W. Clise, Seattle, Wash 66 

Noble of Oaklands — Many times a champion. Sold for $15,000, 
highest price ever paid at auction for a Jersey bull. Owned 
by Elmendorf Farm, Lexington, Ky 68 

Glencoe's Bopeep^ — Champion Guernsey cow at the Iowa and 
National Dairy Shows, 1910. Owned by W. W. Marsh, 
Waterloo, Iowa 30-60 

Sir Beets Cornucopia Netherland — Champion Holstein bull at 
the Iowa and National Dairy Shows, 1910. Owned by W. S. 
Moscrip, St. Paul, Minn 32, 72, 74, 78 

Financial Countess — Ex. champion Jersey cow. Record 935 
pounds, 10 ounces of butter in one year. Owned by C. E. 
Parfet, Golden, Colo 40 

A pair of great cows from the Island of Jersey 48 

The head of a champion Ayrshire cow 85 

Mauser's Queen — Champion Jersey cow Illinois State Fair, 1909. 

Owned by H. V. Prentice, Worcester, Mass 12 

Pietertje Maid Ormsby — Champion 30-day cow of the world. 
Record 145.66 pounds butter, 80 per cent fat. Owned by 
John B. Irwin, Minneapolis. Minn 16, 22, 36, 38, 42, 84 



[S] 




[6] 



INTRODUCTION 

Present day competition has placed all industries on a 
commercial basis. The successful merchant is the one who 
can sell his wares at the lowest price and still make as large 
as or a larger percentage of profit than his competitors. The 
successful professional man is the one who receives the 
greatest remuneration because of the value of his services 
to his clients. The successful manufacturer is the one 
whose methods enable him to produce an article and sell 
it at a price as low as or lower than that asked by other 
manufacturers and still make as great a profit. The farmer 
who produces products on his farm for the least possible 
cost, quality considered, is the one who is successful. 

There has never been a time when the farmer could 
not boast that of all humanity he alone is really independ- 
ent. To so great an extent has this been true and so \/ell 
has it generally become known among agriculturists that 
there is a likelihood that the farmer has grown careless to 
a degree and in his strife for higher prices has overlooked 
a very important point ; namely, that a dollar saved in the 
cost of producing 100 pounds of any commodity is in reality, 
a dollar made and probably the easiest dollar that possibly 
could be made upon the farm. 

This is especially true of the dairy farmer or the man on 
the farm who milks cows. There is a general complaint all 
over the land that the dairy business is very confining and 
where one farmer or farmer's son is found who likes to 
milk there are 50 who would rather do any other farm labor. 
Why? Because so many of the cows are not worth milking. 
The conditions under which they are milked are repelling. 
There are few farms on which there are not from 10 to 75 
per cent of the cows that are absolutely making no profit 
whatever and many that are a source of loss to their own- 
ers. In the days when butter-fat was selling for 10 or 12 
cents a pound, and a drug on the market at that, there 
might have been some excuse for the manufacturer of dairy 
products losing money on some of his cows, yet undoubt- 
edly a larger percentage of the cows in those days were 
making net profits for their owners than are at the present 
time. When cows are kept upon land worth from $25 to 
$50 an acre and can be fed corn worth from 10 to 12 cents 
a bushel, oats from 8 to 10 cents, bran from $10 to $12 
per ton, oil meal $10 to $20 per ton. hay from 

£7] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

$3 to $5 a ton, it is a mighty poor cow that 
will not pay for her feed and make for her owner some 
sort of a net profit to remunerate him for his labor. Farm- 
ers complained bitterly in those times because it was im- 
possible to secure more for the butter-fat. Today the farm- 
er is, in many localities, receiving an average of more 
than 30 cents a pound the year around for butter-fat. If, 
however, he will look the proposition squarely in the face 
he will find that with corn worth 50 cents or more a bushel, 
oats from 32 to 40 cents a bushel, bran from $25 to $28 a 
ton, oil meal from $30 to $40 per ton, hay from $10_ to $20 
per ton and other foods proportionately high that he is mak- 
ing less real profit in feeding cows on land worth from $100 
to $300 per acre than he did during those times which he 
called hard. This statement is made advisedly and refers 
to that class of cows which are to be found on the average 
farm. 

Farm conditions have changed so radically and yet so 
gradually that few are the farmers who realize that they 
really are milking a number of cows over 700 times each 
year merely for the fun of doing so, and yet statistics de- 
termined by considering the number of cows milked in the 
United States and the number of farms upon which they are 
milked, will bear out the statement that on the average 
farm someone is wasting annually 27.2 days every year 
milking cows that return no profit whatever. 

There are two reasons why there are so many profit- 
less cows. First, on the average farm cows are not cared 
for properly. They do not receive feed in the proper 
amourits or of the proper character. The barns in which 
they are kept are often dark, damp, cold and poorly venti- 
lated. The cows are milked, fed and watered at irregular 
intervals and as a matter of fact they are not seriously con- 
sidered from the standpoint of farm profits.. Cows cared 
for under conditions such as these are victims of misfortune 
and it matters little how well bred they may be or how ex- 
cellent their individuality, it is out of the question to ex- 
pect that they will make for their owner any great amount 
of profit. 

Secondly, there are being kept on the farms of the 
United States a vast number of cows so lacking in breeding 
individuality and ability that it is impossible for them to 
produce profitably. It makes no difference whether they 
are found on the common farm under adverse conditions 
or in the high class dairy where they receive every possible 
opportunity by way of feed, care and treatment, they will 



£8] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

never return a cent of profit over and above the cost of the 
feed they consume. It is estimated that out of the 22,000,000 
cows that are being milked on farms in the United States 
there are 14,000,000 of them that are entirely unproductive 
of profits. Half of these, w^ould make a profit w^ere they 
properly fed and cared for. The other half, or 7,000,000 
cows, are unprofitable because they belong to one of two 
classes of cows — either poorly bred or miserable individ- 
uals. 

In dealing with a description of cows and the building- 
up of the herd to more profitable proportions, the subject 
must be confined largely to the same economic, commercial 
and businesslike basis that the manufacturer uses in select- 
ing machines for his factory. True, the dairy cow is more 
than a machine. She is a living, highly nervous and rather 
sentimental being and in a great degree governed by the 
force of habit. These traits she possesses and in addition, 
if a good cow, all the qualities of an efficient, durable and 
capacious machine. It is therefore significant that the manu- 
facturer of dairy products has a task even greater than the 
manufacturer of any other class of commodities. He must 
not only commercialize his efforts as do other manufactur- 
ers but in addition he must cater to the individual traits of 
each living machine on his farm factory. 

When the farmer finally realizes that in reality the 
farms of this country are its greatest factories and that every 
animal is there for the same purpose as the machine in any 
other factory and that every machine must do its part well 
if the factory is to be a source of gratification and large 
dividends to its owner, then and not until then will all cows 
milked on the farm be a source of profit to their owners 
and not until then will the farm boy lose his desire to move 
to town and work in factories of another sort for a few 
cents per hour. Both the farmer and his son will then 
realize that of all factories the greatest dividends and inter- 
est on investments are returned by the factory, the roof of 
which is the sky and the walls the horizon. Because of this 
and because of the human interest in commercialism this 
book will deal with the cow more largely from the stand- 
point of a machine in the factory than from that of breed 
characteristics. 



[9] 




Form and beautv 



noi 



CHAPTER I 

Five Essentials of a Productive Cow 

The fundamental functions of the cow are production and 
reproduction. Her intrinsic vakie depends upon the efifici- 
ency with wliich she accomph'shes these duties. 

A careful study of any grreat producing cow reveals 
the manner in which she accomplishes her purpose. Viewed 
from the standpoint of production she must eat and digest 
food, she must breathe, her blood must circulate and she 
must yield milk and butter-fat, all of which is work. 

If her efforts along these lines are effective certain por- 
tions of her body and certain characteristics assert them- 
selves accordingly and may be termed the essential points 
that indicate great and economical production. There are 
five of these essential points that must be present and well 
developed in the external form of a cow if she proves her- 
self a profitable producer of milk and butter-fat under pres- 
ent conditions. These are the indications of constitution, 
capacity, nervous temperament, blood circulation and ability. 

If all of these points are present it may safely be consid- 
ered that the cow will be highly productive if she is given 
the proper care and the treatment to which she is entitled. 

Each Point Is Vital 

So vital is each to great, economical and persistent per- 
formance that it is difficult to classify them in order of im- 
portance. Each is dependent upon the other and if any one 
is lacking in development the machinery is incomplete and 
he who milks such a beast does not milk a cow — only a part 
of a cow. She is like a gasoline engine with a corroded spark 
plug, a leaky gasoline tank, weak batteries, an undersized 
piston or an inefficient governor. Satisfactory results can- 
not reasonably be expected. 

It often occurs tliat breeders in their eager desire to 
breed cows of phenomenal ability overlook the importance 
of the other points and when it seems they have succeeded 
in their achievements and most excellent results appear to 
be secured it is found that their animals lack constitution 
and although they yield almost abnormally for a short period 
they do not have the strength to contmue with the heavy 
work; some of them die and others revert to the state of 

[11] 




[12} 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

the loafer. Or it nia}- be capacity that has l)een overlooked 
and consequences equally as discouraging occur. So long as 
the animal may draw uj)on the stored up tissues of the body 
wonderful production continues but when this has become 
exhausted the animal is not capable of consuming a sufficient 
amount of food to keep up the work and she declines rap- 
idly in her milk flow and is retired to the ranks of those 
that lack persistency. Such cows are difficult for even the 
most expert feeder to manage. When they freshen and he 
gradually increases their daily rations they respond readily 
and continue to do so reassuring the feeder every time a 
small amount of feed is added to their ration. Not expect- 
ing that the limit of capacity is so near when response to 
increased feed is so marked, the cow is overfed before her 
Aveakness is recognized. 

Great as may be the development of all other parts if 
the significance of the nervous temperament is overlooked 
the cow will simply loaf and there will be neither greatness 
of production nor persistency. And in the same manner 
a circulatory system of the right sort dove-tails with the 
other essentials. 

When this system is sluggish or developed in such 
a way that it carries the blood to other parts of the body 
than the udder there will be a rapidly decreasing milk flow 
as soon as the maternal instincts of the cov/ have passed their 
state of greatest stimulation. 

No Point Can Be Overlooked 

Therefore in selecting and breeding cows it must be 
borne in mind that as important as any four of the essential 
points may be the}^ are to a great degree worthless unless 
accompanied by the fifth. 

Careful consideration of all the characteristics indicative 
of these essentials will by experience in their use aid greatly 
in selecting and breeding cattle of the useful sort and many 
counterfeits that might otherwise find their way into the 
herd may be discovered before it is too late. 

To avoid confusion and the overlooking of one or more of 
the significant indices of development or the lack of it in 
any part it is well to acquire a systematic method of examin- 
i'lo- the animal. 

Examining the Animal 

It is always advisable to take in the general appearance 
of the animal first for in many instances this is all that is 
necessary. To the experienced eye the first impression 

[13] 




[14] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

shows it to be faulty in one or more of the essential qualities. 
This first impression is always gained with greatest ac- 
curacy from a reasonable distance while the animal is stand- 
ing or walking broadside to the observer. It is at this time 
that constitution and capacity are most plainly revealed, 
and never will a skillful judge decide between the com- 
parative excellence of two animals that are closely matched 
until he has observed them in this manner. As a rule 
if the first impression is favorable it is well to walk slowly 
around the animal studying it in the same manner on all 
sides remembering that all animals do not present the same 
appearance on both sides. This examination requires but 
a very short time and if it has proven satisfactory and a 
further study of the animal is desirable it is well to step 
quietly to the head. After noting all indications presented 
there the observer may walk slowly along the side and, as he 
goes by, noting the form of the neck and by passing the hand 
firmly along the shoulder and backward along the spinal 
column he learns the character of these regions. With the 
other hand he can lift the hide and at once there will be con- 
veyed to his mind the condition that obtains and after no 
great amount of experience he will find that different ani- 
mals leave with him varying impressions as to quality in 
this respect. 

Hips and Rump 

The comparative width across the hips and length in 
the rump is usually apparent enough so it may be deter- 
mined by the eye rather than by measurement with the arms 
although in cases where animals are nearly the same in these 
parts the latter procedure is sometimes advisable. By stand- 
ing immediately behind the animal an impression of the 
conformation of the hind quarters is obtained and all nec- 
essary information relating to the length and quality of the 
tail can at this time be quickly gathered. 

Mammary System 

The examination of the mammary system should now 
take place and if possible should be made in detail by the 
use of both the senses of sight and touch for many are the 
indications of ability that escape the eye and as a rule enough 
mistakes occur where both faculties are put to work. In 
completing the examination of a cow it is always advisable 
to milk or see some one else milk her in order to determine 
certainly that there are no defects that are not apparent 
when the udder is full. 



[IS] 




Width across the hips and through the thur'.s 



[16] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

Milk the Cow 

More than one judge of wide reputation has given first 
and championship prizes to cows of very inferior merit be- 
cause he was so confident of his knowledge that he believed 
it useless to have them milked before completing the ex- 
amination. ]\Iany a man has purchased a cow and never dis- 
covered her worthlessness in one or more quarters of her 
udder until she has been paid for and no recourse remained. 

During the examination the observer should proceed 
promptly but he should not hurry. Although alert to dis- 
cover the lesson told by each part he should go about his 
Avork in a manner so careful and quiet that at no time will he 
disturb the animal under consideration. 

After considerable experience has been obtained little 
time is consumed in the process and it is well to acquire 
the habit of learning wdth certainty all that is to be known 
of the animal in the shortest possible time and to decide 
upon its merits without too much deliberation for there is 
a danger of the judgment tiring. When this is the case 
wonder and guessing enter into all decisions rendering them 
either questionable or faulty. 



im 




An open well distended nostril 



[18] 



CHAPTER II 

Constitution of the Cow 

Of all farm animals the dairy cow is the hardest worked. 
She labors night and day gathering, consuming, digesting 
and assimilating food and converting the nutrients into milk 
and butter-fat. Morning and night she returns to her own- 
er an amount of finished product which accounts for all 
the nutrients contained in the food she has eaten minus 
those that have been absolutely required to keep her body in 
a healthy and thrifty working condition and to nourish the 
unborn calf that she may be developing to perpetuate her 
kind. From the standpoint of results, if she be a truly pro- 
ductive cow she will yield greater returns to her owner 
measured in food values than any other animal he may 
keep. 

Cow Compared With Steer 

A noticeable example of this fact is cited by Prof. Eckles 
of the Missouri experiment station. Princess Carlotta, a Hol- 
stein cow under his supervision, produced in one year 18,405 
pounds of milk which was found to contain more human food 
than is contained in the complete carcasses of four steers 
weighing 1,250 pounds each. The following table gives the 
comparative composition of the substances found in the 
cow's volume of milk and the steer's carcass : 

18,405 lbs. milk. 1,250-lb. steer 

Proteid 552 lbs. 172 lbs. 

Fat 618 lbs. 333 lbs. 

Sugar 920 lbs. ... lbs. 

Ash 128 lbs. 43 lbs. 

Total 2,218 lbs. 548 lbs. 

The whole of the milk solids was digestible but this was 
not true with the solid material in the steer's carcass, for the 
548 pounds is the record of the dry matter and includes 
hair and hide, bones and tendons, organs of digestion and 
respiration ; in fact the entire animal, a large portion of which 
is not edible. 

Quoting Prof, Eckles : "The analysis of the steer's car- 
cass was made from samples taken after grinding up to- 
gether one half of the complete carcass and is not in any 
sense an estimation of the composition of the carcass. 

[19] 




A well sprung front rib 



[20] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

"Princess Carlotta produced proteids sufficient for more 
than three steers ; nearly fat enough for two ; ash enough to 
build the skeleton for three, and in addition, produced 920 
pounds of milk sugar worth as much per pound for food as 
ordinary sugar. 

"These figures show the remarkable efficiency of the 
cow as a producer of human food. It is because of this 
economical use of food that the dairy cow and not the steer 
is kept on high priced lands. When land is cheap and feed 
abundant the meat producing animals predominate, but 
when the land becomes high in value and feed expensive the 
farmer turns to the dairy cow." 

Continual Production Demands Vitality 

To accomplish such enormous results and to continue 
year after year for 10 or 15 years, which represents the work- 
ing lifetime of a good cow, necessitates that she have a most 
rugged constitution and much vitality. 

But, great production is not the only tax upon the con- 
stitution that is required to keep her in working condition 
throughout a busy lifetime. Nearly half of the time if she 
lives north of the fortieth degree of latitude she is stabled 
and in the majority of cases her home is far from being 
a healthful place. Oftentimes her stall is in the basement 
of a barn that years ago was built for other purposes and in- 
variably her quarters are devoid of windows, rendering 
them dark, damp and poorly ventilated. PVom one year to 
the other no sun light penetrates the air in which she is com- 
pelled to exist during the winter. 

Germ life flourishes. Only the cows with the greatest 
constitutions are able to resist the germs of tuberculosis, 
contagious abortion, pneumonia, garget and other diseases 
with which dairy herds suffer. 

Large and Small Cows Equally Susceptible 

Very often the dairyman discriminates against one 
breed or another because he believes that particular breed 
to be more susceptible to tuberculosis than others. His be- 
lief is based largely upon the fact that the breed in ques- 
tion is small in size. Nothing could be farther from logic 
for were it true that large cows had greater constitutions 
than small ones then it would be likewise true that large 
men are stronger in constitution than small men. It makes 
little difiference how large a cow is, if she be housed in a 

C21] 




[22] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

dark, damp, poorly ventilated barn where the sun never en- 
ters she is just as liable to become diseased as a small cow 
for the disease germs are without doubt present in great 
numbers. Likewise it may be true that it matters little how 
small the cow is if the organs vital to constitution are great- 
ly developed in proportion to the other parts of the body 
she will more likely resist disease than a larger cow weaker 
proportionately in these constitutional parts. 

Large Volume of Air Essential 

Strength of constitution depends primarily upon the 
amount of pure fresh air that enters the body and the man- 
ner in which it is utilized by the lungs in purifying the 
blood. 

If the nostrils, the trachea, or windpipe, and other cham- 
bers through which the air travels on its way to the lungs 
are large, open and well distended the volume of air enter- 
ing the body will be large and thus far the indications will 
point to healthfulness. 

Oxygen alone purifies blood, and fresh air is the only 
medium in which it is conveyed to the blood. Every par- 
ticle of air that reaches the lungs and comes in contact with 
the bipod passes first through the nostrils and later through 
the wind pipe. If these channels are small one of two 
things happens ; either a small volume of air enters or the 
cow must breathe more rapidly than the cow with a large 
nostril. Observation teaches, however, that the respiration, 
of one cow is not perceptibly more rapid than that of an- 
other. Therefore the conclusion may properly be drawn 
that the cow with the small nostril does not take into her 
lungs the great amount of air that the cow with the large, 
open and dilated nostrils and windpipe does. 

Capacity of Thorax 

Quite as important as an indication of vigorous consti- 
tution is the size and capaciousness of the thorax or the 
chamber in which the heart and lungs are located. Small- 
ness or lack of development in this part of the body pro- 
hibits greatness of heart and lung development resulting in 
limited stamina, vigor and ruggedness. To insure ample 
room for the fullest growth of the heart and lungs the 
cow should be extremely deep from the top of the shoulder 
to the floor of the chest, fairly broad in the chest, deep in 
the region of the heart girth and well sprung in the fore 
rib. Cows that are at once narrow and shallow in the chest 
cavity, tucked up and pinched in the space occupied by the 

[23] 




f24] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

heart are always troublesome and never persistent feeders 
or producers. 

Although reasonable breadth of chest is to be desired 
the mistake is sometimes made in laying too much stress 
upon its value and, to attain breadth, other more necessary 
requirements are sacrificed. 

It should be remembered that although the beef animal 
and draft horse gain their constitution in breadth of chest 
to a greater extent than by depth the opposite is true of 
the running horse and the dairy cow and just as truly as the 
horse bred for speed is endowed with constitution as great 
as or greater than the larger and heavier draft horse so 
does the dairy cow compare with the beef animal. 

In fact no less authority than Gov. W. D. Hoard makes 
the statement that upon following fifty head of animals 
to the block he found that the heart and lungs of the dairy 
cow were larger and weighed more than did those of beef 
animals with which they were compared. 



Eyes and Horns 



Although of less importance than the considerations 
already discussed it may be said that usually the cow with 
eyes that are bright, prominent and clear and horns that are 
rather heavy at the base and tapering gradually to a point 
is more vigorous than the one with the dull sunken eyes 
and horns that are almost as small at their base as near the 
point. Certainly it is true that diseases of the heart and 
lungs in advanced stages are accompanied by dull, expres- 
sionless and oftentimes sunken eyes and to the careful ob- 
server the first symptoms of weakness and disease become ap- 
parent in the appearance of the eyes. On the other hand 
the character of the horns and eyes may be and as a rule is 
a truer indication of other conditions obtaining and does not 
denote constitution with the same infallibility as do the 
organs of respiration. 

One may rest assured that if the vital parts are large 
as compared with other parts of the body and the animal 
has been permitted to breathe fresh pure air not infected 
with disease germs during her whole life it is quite perfect 
in one of the essential requirements. 



[25] 




Medium sized incurving horns 



[26] 



CHAPTER III 

Capacity 

The capacity of the dairy cow refers to the total amount 
of food she can consume and digest in a given time with- 
out injuring her future usefuhiess. It depends upon the 
size and strength of her organs of prehension, mastication 
and digestion. 

According to Prof. Henry 60 per cent of all the cow 
can eat is required to sustain her body and only after this 
amount is provided can there be any return to the feeder. 
This being true it is evident that the greater the capacity 
of the cow the greater will be the amount of return repre- 
sented by the 40 per cent. 

Capacious cows are always more ravenous feeders than 
cows lacking in the development of this characteristic and for 
this reason less difficult to feed. It is seldom that the feed- 
er who uses judgment experiences trouble from ssuch ani- 
mals "going ofif feed" or sickening from the efifects of heavy 
feeding, but cows that are limited in the amount of food 
they can handle are a continual source of worry when one 
attempts to tax them to the limit of their powers of pro 
duction. Furthermore the cow with great capacity accord- 
ing to her size is a more economical producer than the less 
capacious cow who as a rule is a more dainty feeder, for she 
former will eat foods rougher in character and these are often 
cheaper. 

The Heavily Taxed Organs 

More apparent still becomes the importance of great- 
ness and strength of feeding and digestive capacity when 
the fact is recalled that of all parts of the body these organs 
are most heavily taxed when the animal undergoes heavy 
feeding and as a rule they are the parts that first give way 
under the strain of hard work of long duration such as is 
demanded of the cow when her eflforts are commercial- 
ized. 

In this respect she differs greatly from the beef steer 
which enters the feed-lot. He undergoes heavy feeding for 
a period of from four months to a year at the most and is 
sent to the shambles but the cow to be a desirable individu- 
al must feed on and put to profitable use her food year after 
year throughout a long life time without taking time to rest 

[27] 




[28] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

from feeding. Even though there is a short time each year 
when the cow gives little or no milk, she must maintain her 
own body and nourish the offspring with which she is soon 
to present her owner. These functions establish an addi- 
tional demand upon her to consume heavily of food at this 
time for she must build up the tissues of her own body 
and that of the unborn calf so she may freshen strong and in 
good condition for the next year's butter producing cam- 
paign in which she must make good. 

Large Mouth Indicates a Good Feeder 

So well do experienced feeders of all classes of farm 
animals realize that the animal with the large mouth is a 
good feeder that this qualification has come to be one of the 
recognized indications of capacity. The animal with a small 
pointed mouth and a small muzzle is always difficult to 
feed, being dainty and indifferent to the efforts of the feeder 
to tempt its appetite. Associated with the small mouth is 
a corresponding smallness of nostril ; a detraction from the 
desired facial features. 

Thorough mastication of the food is very necessary for 
it is not only the action of grinding the food but it is during 
mastication that the first process of digestion takes place. 
It is when the cow chews her cud that the saliva secreted 
by glands entering the mouth is mixed with the food, chang- 
ing starches to sugar and beginning the many chemical 
changes that take place before the food can be assimilated. 
For these reasons strong jaws of well defined width and 
depth are desirable. Weakness in these parts indicates poor 
feeding qualities to quite as great an extent as does a small 
mouth and is to be guarded against. 

A careful study of the different processes and the many 
organs involved in digesting the food after it has left the 
mouth as well as a consideration, of the great amount of food 
nutrients necessary for the maintenance of the animal and 
for great milk production points to the significance of an 
adequate and roomy space where the foods may be stored 
and digestion carried on. 

Large Barrel 

This entails a large barrel, one that is long, broad and 
deep. These specifications are insured by length from the 
shoulder to the hip bone, broad, flat, well sprung, deep ribs. 

On the other hand it often occurs that close coupled 
cows, those with short bodies that are broad and deep are 

[29] 




[30] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

excellent feeders and good producers and if there is to be 
any sacrifice made in the dimensions of the barrel it is bet- 
ter that length rather than any of the other proportions be 
overlooked. 

The cow that is long of body, slab-sided and shallow 
ribbed is seldom, if ever, satisfactory either as a feeder or 
as a great and economical producer of milk products or of 
offspring. Even though she may yield well for a short time 
she is not persistent and she soon declines in her milk flow. 
Any efforts to stimulate greater production result in her 
leaving her food or sickening with indigestion of one kind 
or another because of insufficient capacity. 

Not only is it important that the cow be capable of con- 
suming a great amount of food at one time but it is very 
important that every possible ounce of the food she takes 
into her body be digested and assimilated. No portion of 
the food is used for any purpose except the nutrients which 
the digestive apparatus liberates in a form suitable for the 
blood to absorb. All other portions pass on and are wasted, 
wasted. 

It may be that some cows although voracious feeders 
and large of barrel do not utilize the food they eat in the 
efficient 'manner necessary for economy of production. 

Efficiency as Important as Size 

Strength, power and efficiency of the digestive apparatus 
are factors quite as important as size. They may be, and 
quite likely are, of more importance. 

The condition and efficiency of the organs of digestion 
may be determined by the handling qualities of the animal. 
By carefully lifting the hide from the body there is at once 
conveyed to the touch one of two sets of conditions ; either 
the hide is soft, pliable and elastic and the hair covering it 
soft and silky— or the hide is hard, stiff and so tightly drawn 
over the body that it is impossible to lift it away from the 
ribs. Such hide is usually covered with hair that is coarse, 
harsh and wiry; standing out from the body rather than ly- 
ing smoothly. When the former condition exists, not only 
quality of all parts of the body is indicated but an efficient 
digestive tract is also assured. The animal will consume its 
food, digest it quickly and be ready for more. But when 
the hide is covered with harsh, wiry hair there is something 
wrong with the digestive apparatus either temporarily or 
permanently and even though the animal is a gross feeder 
the best use will not be made of the food. 

[31] 




[32] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

Texture of the Hide 

The expert show yard judge during the course of his 
examination of the animals before him always lifts the hide 
from each and by the sense of touch studies the quality of 
the animal and determines by the texture of the hide and 
hair that which he cannot see with his eyes ; the strength, 
power and efficiency of the digestive organs. He realizes that 
the skin of the animal is a continuation of the inner and 
vital organs the condition of which is reflected through the 
outer medium. That these indications are more practical 
than theoretical any successful feeder will assert for he has 
noticed that the first indication that a cow is reaching the 
limit of her feeding capacity is not when she begins leaving 
feed in her manger or when her voidings assume an unnat- 
ural condition but when the eye gets dull and the hair be- 
gins standing out from the body and becomes harsh to the 
touch. If these first warnings are not heeded then it is that 
the cow begins leaving her food and soon the softness and 
pliability have left her hide and it becomes tight, hard and 
stiff. 

True it is that care and feeding have much to do with 
the condition of the hide and hair and likewise they have 
much to do with affecting the digestive organs and the 
method of care and feeding that adds tone to the vital organs 
makes itself known to the touch of the judge. In other 
words those parts that can be seen and felt indicate the con- 
dition of the invisible organs rather than vice versa. 

It is, of course, well to secure in one and the same ani- 
mal both size and power of digestion but if the necessity 
presents itself of sacrificing a portion of one or the other, 
then digestive power should have preference. The large 
barreled cow of poor quality will consume a large amount 
of food at one time but because of her sluggishness will 
waste a portion of it but the cow active in digestive traits 
eating less at a time, but oftener, will eat fully as much if 
not more on the whole, only recpiiring longer to do so and 
she will make better use of it in keeping up the condition 
of her own body and in yielding milk products. 



[33] 




[34] 



CHAPTER IV 

Nervous Temperament 

The term nervous temperament used in referring to the 
disposition of the cow means the inherent propensity to 
work, to eat food, digest it and convert every available 
ounce of it not required for maintenance into milk products. 
Nervous temperament does not imply that the cow is ner- 
vous in the generally accepted meaning of the term nor does 
it mean that she is excitable, fretful or hard to manage, but 
that she is especially strong in the development of the ner- 
vous system. It naturally follows that such an animal is al- 
ways alert, active and responds readily to all surroundings 
whether they be favorable or adverse. 

It is this nervous temperament that enables the dairy 
cow to endure for a long period greater work than her form, 
appearance and size would indicate. It is the quality that 
gives the Arabian horse the endurance which enables him to 
make long journeys with little food and water and the same 
characteristic is termed stamina when found in the horse 
bred for speed. In the dairy cow this trait stimulates the 
function of milk making. 

Lymphatic Temperament 

There is another temperament that is found in beef 
breeds — and often — in fact too often — in individuals of the 
dairy breeds, termed the lymphatic temperament. Such an 
animal is sluggish in disposition, inclined toward laziness, 
with an inborn tendency to convert its food into fat and sel- 
fishly distribute it over its body. This temperament is one 
of the essentials to look for in selecting profitable feeding 
steers and is a point well recognized by experienced cattle 
feeders for they know that the steer which fattens readily is 
the one that gorges himself at the feed bunk, lies down and 
chews his cud contentedly with absolutely no consideration 
for what goes on around him until another feeding time rolls 
around and he hears the nubbins being broken over the side 
of the feed bunk when he arises, stretches himself and lazi- 
ly and deliberately walks over to his source of food supply. 

Cows of this disposition are an unprofitable kind indeed 
when compared with the one that at feeding time stands 
at the gate or in her stall and bawls for her feed or at the 

[35] 




[36] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

call of her master breaks into a run in her haste to reach the 
feed and fill the milk pail and when her meal is finished 
shakes her head and wishes for more. 

Loafers 

From the dairy standpoint cows with lymphatic tem- 
perament are loafers and as a rule do not produce enough 
milk and butter-fat to pay for the feed they eat, for it must be 
remembered that all food converted into fat that is distributed 
over the cow's body when she should be giving milk is 
wasted from the dairyman's standpoint. The great need of 
the American dairyman is to sort out and get rid of these 
low producers. In the bovine family as in the human family 
they never pay for their own board. Some friend or relative 
must do that for them. 

There are many indications of nervous temperament. 
Chief among these is a face that is broad between the eyes 
and a long broad forehead which may taper to the poll. It is 
in this region that the. brain is located. It is the brain that 
controls the nervous system which in turn governs all 
functions of the cow ; among these are digestion, blood cir- 
culation and milk secretion. If the face and forehead of the 
cow are narrow there is sufficient indication that the brain ca- 
pacity is limited and that the brain itself is small and the 
control over the nervous system is limited. Nervousness 
more likely results than nervous temperament. 

Temperament Reflected by the Eye 

Temperament is always reflected in the eye of an ani- 
mal. A large, bright, prominent, placid, alert eye with an in- 
telligent expression gives assurance of nervous tempera- 
ment. In the same manner the dull, sluggish, receding eye 
even though it may or may not have an intelligent expres- 
sion denotes the sluggish temperament. No experienced 
judge of human or bovine nature overlooks the story the eye 
tells. It is well for the feeder and breeder of cattle to be ob- 
serving at all times of the lessons that may be learned from 
the eyes of his animals. 

From the brain the spinal cord passes backward through 
the spinal vertebra or back bone Open jointedness and 
freedom' from fat indicate nervous temperament as repre- 
sented by these parts. The statement is often made that the 
spinal processes should be large and rugged indicating good 
development of spinal cord. Anatomists of authority, how- 
ever, assert that the higher the position an animal occupies 



[37] 




[38] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

in the scale of intelligence the smaller and lighter the cord 
relatively. It is therefore true that if the size of the spinal 
processes are an indication of the size and weight of the spinal 
cord they likewise indicate a lack of size and weight of the 
brain and less intelligence. Judging from this, smaller and 
more refined spinal vertebrae would seem to be more de- 
sirable as indicative of greater brain power and nervous 
temperament. 

Freedom from Fat 

Prominent hips and ribs that are apparent to the eye 
and freedom from beefiness or superfluous fat over the entire 
body are all important indications for they denote that the 
nervous temperament has stimulated the conversion of the 
food into milk and butter-fat rather than into beef which 
would be the case if the animal was endowed with a lym- 
phatic temperament. Add to these points style, activity and 
freedom of carriage, alertness and consciousness of all sur- 
roundings and you may guarantee that the cow possessing 
these is a worker and if the other four essential points are 
present she will, when given an opportunity, be a source of 
profit to her owner. 

To the great development of nervous temperament pos- 
sessed by Dairymaid of Pinehurst, whose butter record is 
1,003 pounds as a three year-old, her owner attributed to 
a large degree her marvelous production. 

Not only does she possess all the points referred to, in- 
dicating that she is a worker, but see her when you will, . 
if she is not feeding she is chewing her cud which is merely 
the act of masticating and mixing with saliva the food she 
has gathered and has just found time to chew. So thorough- 
ly does her owner believe that nervous temperament or dis- 
position to work continuously is one of the great attributes 
of a great cow that when he attempts to select a cow for 
phenomenal production, he takes his time after considering 
other points, sits around and watches the actions of the an- 
mal. He learns whether she is a worker or a loafer by not- 
mg whether she works or loafs. Perhaps this is one of the 
valuable lessons Dairymaid has taught. Certainly it is true 
that the most valuable lessons that can be learned about 
selectmg cows are taught by the cows themselves or by a 
close comparison of good and poor individuals. 



[39] 




[401 



CHAPTER V 

Blood Circulation 

After the cow has eaten and digested her food the next 
process is that of absorption or the picking up of the nu- 
trients, carrying and distributing" them over the body where 
they belong according to the function of the animaL 

In this respect the blood circulating to all parts of the 
body plays no small part in the great general plan the cow 
adheres to in making milk. 

It is interesting to study the manner in which cattle 
accomplish the purpose for which they are kept. At feed- 
ing time or during the day when the cow is on pasture she 
first gathers her food and bolts or swallows it, because she 
is too busy at that time to masticate it. The food in this 
condition passes into the first stomach which serves largely 
in the ruminant as a storehouse for the food. When the 
cow finds time she regurgitates the feed she has secured dur- 
ing her busier hours and masticates it which is usually 
termed, "the chewing of the cud." Then it is re-swallowed, 
further moistened, softened and refined, finally reaching the 
fourth stomach and later the intestines. During this course 
it comes in contact with different digestive fluids such as the 
gastric juice, the bile, the pancreatic juice and the intestinal 
juices which have the power of taking from the food those 
nutrients that are digestible and converting them into a 
form to be picked up by the blood for absorption. It is 
then thct the importance of the blood circulation asserts itself, 
picking up and transporting, so to speak, the nutrients 
which have been digested from the food. The blood acts as 
a carrier and a distributer of these nutrients. 

Every feeder of farm animals should be conversant with 
the entire process of digestion, assimilation and the distri- 
bution of food nutrients. The subject is of great impor- 
tance and complete discussion of it would make a book in 
itself. 

Up to the time when the blood of the animal starts on 
its course of transporting the digested nutrients, the work 
of the beef animal and the dairy animal are largely the same, 
but at this point their paths divide and the remaining uses 
of the food greatly differ. In the beef animal the blood for 
the most part carries the digested nutrients, after utilizing 
those necessary for the maintenance of the body, to the.- top 



[41] 




A net work of veins on the udder 



[42] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

regions of the animal. Here they are distributed in the 
form of beef and fat over the shoulders, chin, back, loin, ribs, 
rump, thighs and twist. There is a reason for this. For 
hundreds of years there have been successful breeders of 
beef cattle who have striven to create an animal that would 
consume a great volume of food, digest and carry it to those 
portions of the body where it is assimilated and manufac- 
tured into beef. They have bred animals for this purpose 
because they have been advised that the aim of all their ef- 
forts in creating pure bred beef cattle is the steer and his 
end is the block. Through the packer they have learned 
that the most valuable cuts of the beef animal are to be se- 
cured from the portion of the animal above a line drawn 
through the longitudinal middle of the body. This the pack- 
er has learned from the retailer who, in turn, has learned 
that the consumer appreciates and is willing to pay larger 
prices for cuts secured from these parts than for those from 
the underline known as chuck and flank steaks. 

Milk Production Sacrificed 

The breeder of beef cattle has been very successful in 
his operations and the market toppers and prize winning 
show steers and other beef animals of the present day show 
yards have been the result. Milk has been sacrificed be- 
cause the milk making nutrients which are largely the same 
as beef making nutrients have been carried to other parts of 
the body than that where milk is manufactured, for a cow 
never made a pound of milk in any part of the body 
except the udder. 

On the other hand, over in Holland and on the Jersey 
Isles, the Guernsey Isles and in the County of Ayr, Scot- 
land there have been breeders equally intelligent who for 
even a greater length of time have striven to create an ani- 
mal that would consume a great volume of food, digest and 
assimilate it and send the digested nutrients around to the 
udder where the manufacturing process of milk and butter- 
fat production are carried on. That they have been suc- 
cessful in their operations is evidenced by such cows 
as Colantha 4th's Johanna, Pietertje Maid Ormsby, Ja- 
coba Irene, Olga 4th's Pride, Adelaide of Beechlands, Yeksa 
Sunbeam, Dairymaid of Pinehurst, Dolly Dimple, Rosaire's 
Olga and Netherhall Brownie 9th. This, of course, has 
been accomplished by sacrificing the production of beef in 
the same manner as the successful creator of beef animals 
has sacrificed the production of milk. Experiments that 
have been conducted show that the dairy bred steer will 



[43] 




Prof. Hugh G. Van Pelt giving his dairy cow demo 




tion at the Oklahoma College of Agriculture 




Large veins carrying a plentiful flow of blood through the udder 



[46] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

make as great an amount of gain from a given amount of 
feed as will a beef bred animal, and to this extent, from the 
standpoint of making beef, the dairy bred animal is quite as 
profitable as the beef bred animal ; but owing to the fact that 
for generation after generation his ancestors have been 
bred for the purpose of sending digested food nutrients to 
the underline of the body rather than to the top line, when 
he reaches the market he is found to be profitless. He is 
therefore discriminated against to the extent of several cents 
per pound by the packer who knows that choice steaks are 
not and never will be secured from the underline of the steer 
or from the inside fat and tallow. But the steer is not to 
blame. He did just what his inherent characteristics com- 
pelled him to do. Too many generations had the blood of 
his ancestors flowed to the underline of the body for him 
or his master to change the course. 

The Cow Not a Mysterious Being 

Neither can the cow whose ancestors for hundreds of 
years have been selected and bred for the special purpose of 
beef production be blamed because she does not produce 
milk as profitably as dairy cows. If the dairyman will per- 
mit himself to consider for a moment he will realize that the 
cow is really not a mysterious being and it is absolutely 
impossible for her to manufacture out of a given amount 
of feed both milk and beef at the same time. True it is that 
a portion of her food may be manufactured into beef and a 
portion of it into milk but it is certain that every pound of 
feed which is manufactured into beef while the cow is milk- 
ing is absolutely lost and wasted from the standpoint of milk 
and butter-fat production and every pound of feed that is manu- 
factured into milk and butter-fat is absolutely lost and wast- 
ed from the standpoint of beef production. 

Thus it is that the direction in which the blood flows 
after picking up the milk making nutrients is of important 
consideration for the feeder of dairy cows. Likewise the 
volume of blood which circulates past the digestive appara- 
tus and, in turn, through the udder or milk making factory 
has much to do with the amount of milk and butter-fat pro- 
duced. For if the volume of blood be great and the cow 
well fed, the volume of nutrients will be great; and, in turn, 
if the milk making cells are efificient and numerous, the vol- 
ume of milk will be large. 

The volume of circulating blood and the direction in 
which it flows are indicated by the escutcheon, mammary 
veins and milk wells. 



[47] 




[48] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

The Escutcheon 

The escutcheon is that portion of the hind quarters 
above the udder where the hair grows upward. At each 
side of the escutcheon the hair grows in the opposite di- 
rection. It is a theory, and probably true, that the 
reason why the hair on this portion of the body grows in 
the opposite direction is because it is nourished by the large 
arteries passing into the udder while the hair on each 
side is nourished by other blood vessels in the same manner 
as the hair on other parts of the body. There was a time 
when judges of dairy cattle paid a great deal more attention 
to the size and shape of the escutcheon than they do at the 
present, because they probably had not yet realized that a 
much simpler and perhaps a truer method of determining 
the volume' of blood passing through the udder was by the 
mammary veins. 

The escutcheon that is long and wide, extending down 
over a portion of the udder, is an indication of a large 
amount of blood passing into the udder, taking with it large 
amounts of nutrients. The mammary veins are found pass- 
ing forward along the underline of the cow from the udder 
toward the shoulder pits. Every cow has two of these 
veins, one on each side. On some cows these veins are 
short, straight and small. On others they are large, long, 
tortuous and branched. In one case only a small amount of 
blood is passing through the udder while in the other in- 
stance the indication is that there has been an extremely 
large volume of blood flowing in the proper direction for 
milk production. 

Mammary Veins 

Cows dififer very greatly in development of mammary 
veins. Some have a third vein termed a center extension 
passing forward along the center of the belly. At the end 
of each of these veins there is a hole in the abdomen through 
which the blood passes back on its way to the heart and 
lungs for purification and to be pumped back again on its 
former route past the digestive apparatus and around through 
the udder to other portions of the body where it carries nutri- 
ents for the maintenance of the animal. These small holes in 
the abdomen are called milk wells. If the vein is small, only 
a small milk well will be found at the end. If the flow of blood 
is sufficiently great the mammary veins become developed to 
greater proportions and in turn the milk wells are large. 
Oftentimes one well is not enough for each vein and then a 
portion of the blood passes into the first milk well, the 

[49] 




rso] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

overflow passing to a second well, sometimes a third and 
occasionally a fourth or a fifth well. Such veins are known 
as double extension veins. It is quite often that cows have 
double extension veins on one side of the animal and occa- 
sionally they are found on both sides. Many times the 
veins branch, running back and forth across the abdomen 
and extending upward on her sides and forward in certain 
cases even as far as the shoulder pits. Invariably the great- 
er the development of the mammary veins designated by 
their length, size and tortuousness, the larger and more nu- 
merous the milk wells, the more productive the cow. There 
are a few who disagree with this opinion but it is only neces- 
sary to examine the abdomen of every cow that has been 
largely productive as compared with those that are un- 
productive to agree that much importance should be based 
upon the mammary veins and milk wells, circulation of blood 
and production. I have never seen an extremely good cow 
whose system of mammary veins and wells was not ex- 
tremely well developed and I have never seen a really poor 
cow with a great mammary system. It has been my pleas- 
ure to examine such cows as Colantha 4th's Johanna, Jacoba 
Irene, Dairymaid of Pinehurst and Financial Countess and 
without exception their veining is tremendous. 

Milk Wells 

In the instance of Colantha 4th's Johanna the entire 
abdomen is covered with veins ranging in size from that of 
a man's thuinb to that of his wrist, terminating in numer- 
ous wells which, in turn, range in size sufficiently large for 
the insertion of a man's thumb to those only large enough 
for the insertion of the small finger. These indices point 
to the fact that a wonderful volume of blood has passed 
through the udder. Common sense bespeaks the necessity, 
when it is remembered that in the case of Colantha 4th's Jo- 
hanna there was a yield in one year of 27,432.5 pounds of 
milk containing 1,247.95 pounds of butter. In her case, as 
in the case of every other good cow, it would matter little how 
great her constitution, how capacious her digestive appa- 
ratus or how strenuous a worker she might have been, had 
the greater percentage of her blood flowed to the top of her 
back, carrying with it the nutrients extracted from her food 
she would never have produced the wonderful volume of 
milk and butter-fat which she did ; and although she might 
have been a profitable animal for the butcher she would have 
been worth little in the dairy. 



[51] 




[52] 



CHAPTER VI 

Ability 

Ability, used in describing the cow, refers to her powers 
of performing her required function of milk giving. Al- 
though ability is synonymous with capacity their difference 
in meaning is great enough to justify their use in differ- 
entiating between the cow's receptiveness for food and her 
power for manufacturing the nutrient from the food into 
milk products. 

Given vigorous constitution, large capacity, nervous 
temperament and copious blood flow to the lower regions 
and the discription might apply equally as well to some 
other animal as to the cow. It is the fifth point, ability to 
produce milk that is the great distinctive maternal trait with 
which nature has endowed all mothers to a degree great 
enough to supply their babes with sustenance. This trait 
has been developed in the cow by man to such abnormal pro- 
portions that she has almost become an artificial being. 

Milk Making 

In all nature there is no demonstration of ability so in- 
teresting to the dairyman as that exhibited by the udder in 
taking from the blood, feed nutrients and, by a process un- 
fathomable by man, manufacturing them into butter-fat, 
casein and milk sugar, which are combined in certain well 
regulated proportions with water and given off to supply 
the necessities of her infant offspring and to add her mite 
to the world's great milk supply. 

Any indications, therefore, that denote efficiency in the 
cow's specialty of milk giving must not be ignored. As 
the whole of this important work is carried on in the udder, 
this organ, with its accessories alone, remains as indication 
of ability. 

Size, form and texture of udder development are the 
principal indices. Size should be sought in length and 
breadth of udder rather than in depth, for several reasons. 
Largeness of udder gained by depth results in a pendent 
udder, one that hangs from the body and dangles or swings 
between the legs. Such udders are disagreeable to milk. 
When the cow lies down on the cold ground or cement floor 
almost the whole of the appendage comes in contact with 
the cold surface and garget or inflamed udders and spoiled 



1531 




[54] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

quarters are more liable to occur. When the cow stands 
ill or walks through muddy places the udder and teats get 
wet and muddy and the least of the troubles that follow if 
the weather is cold is that much of the mud finds its way into 
tlie milk pail. 

Deep Udder Objectionable 

These difificulties can largely be overcome by good care 
but the real vital disadvantage of the udder that is large, 
because of its depth only, i.s that its joining surface with the 
bc'dy is limited. Along the body pass the large arteries 
through which is carried the materials for milk manufacture 
and from these many small arteries pass downward into 
and all through the udder. If the size is obtained by length 
and breadth, a greater area of the udder comes in contact with 
the large arteries and opportunity is presented for a greater 
number of small arterial branches to be given ofif carrying 
in them the blood laden with milk making nutrients to be 
distributed among the numberless cells that form the work- 
ing parts of the udder. 

To be long the udder must be attached high behind and 
carried far forward. There is no danger of the rear attach- 
ment being too high nor the front attachment too far for- 
ward. Cows with udders the front and rear attachments of 
which are both to be found in between the hind legs are 
never known as great producers of either milk or profits. 

Width of udder development is determined by the con- 
formation of the thighs. If encouraged by thin thighs that 
are free from all signs of beefiness, they must curve out- 
ward forming a broad well defined arch, which has its be- 
ginning high, insuring breadth at the highest point where 
the udder attaches. 

Thin Thighs 

Beefiness in the thighs as in any other part of the body 
is to be guarded against so that in instances of cows with 
well formed hind quarters the thigh can be measured with 
the thumb and index finger. To recognize the importance 
of this conformation one needs only to investigate the size 
and form of the udder hung between beefy hind quarters. 
Especially is this true with such pronounced beef making 
proclivities as would excite the pride of the breeder of beef 
cattle or give assurance that she was capable of winning 
prizes in the show yard. Such a cow approaches the fulfill- 
ment of the beef cattle breeder's slogan, "beef to the hocks." 
Instead of being able to measure her thighs with the thumb 



[55] 




[56] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

and finger both hands outstretched are required because of 
the fleshy filling termed the twist that quite completely oc- 
cupies the arch where the rear udder appears on the true 
dairy cow. Were such a cow endowed with a well develop- 
ed rear udder she would be at a loss to find a place to hang 
it. 

Misshapen Udders 

Many cows have what are termed tilted udders — those 
that are fully developed in the rear portions but greatly lack- 
ing in the fore quarters. Slanting as such udders are from 
the hind teats to the abdomen there is no suitable place for 
the attachment of the front teats and they are set either 
very close to the hind teats or on the slanting edge of the 
udder. Such cows very often give from three-fifths to four- 
fifths of their total volume of milk out of the rear quarters 
and it is reasonable to believe that if the fore quarters of 
the udder were equally developed much capacity would be 
added to the udder and greater milk production result. 

Pointed udders are even more objectionable for they are 
more lacking in capacity. Such udders may be described 
as being short in their rear attachment, extending down- 
ward to a point from all sides where all four teats are placed 
so close together that they have the appearance of origin- 
ating or springing from the same hole. Cows of this char- 
acter are disagreeable to milk and seldom yield profitably. 

The quartered udder is the one that is divided by deep 
fissures into apparent halves or quarters and is neither 
sightly nor indicative of great production. 

Cows of the Ayrshire breed are generally recognized as 
having udders very nearly approaching perfection of form 
and extremities of attachment. 

The Desirable Form of Udder 

Of all forms the udder most desiral)le is the one sym- 
metrical and uniform in the development of each portion. 
Each quarter and half should correspond with the other 
and be so closely connected as to make the juncture almost 
invisible. With size added to the udder of this form there 
is ample room for the placement of four easily milked teats 
of medium size set far apart, one on each corner. 

Those who have had extensive experience with dairy 
cows can call to mind some that had udders complying quite 
closely with this description both in size and shape but they 
were light producers and unprofitable. A careful examina- 
tion would have revealed that their udders lacked quality 



[57] 




[58] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

and texture. Instead of being made up of milk making cells 
they were composed of fatty tissues, hard and resistant to 
the touch and equally as large and well formed after milk- 
ing as before. Udders of this character always point to a 
worthless beast. As an indication of ability to yield largely 
and economically the presence of quality and texture is all 
important. Desirable as are all the qualities, size, shape, 
texture and quality if any of them must for any reason be 
sacrificed in the selection of a cow the two latter should be 
retained at the expense of the former. 

Quality of Udder 

Texture is indicated by the handling qualities of the 
udder and the hide and hair covering it and by the com- 
parative appearance of the udder before and after milking. 
The udder pliable and soft, yet firm to the touch, covered 
with hide that is soft, unctuous and elastic, covered with 
short, fine silky hair is usually of proper quality. Then if 
large in the beginning it collapses during the process of 
milking and the covering falls together in folds that are 
plentiful, loose, soft and oily, all quarters of equal size and 
shape there is no indication of poor quality. 

Often cows are selected when they are dry and then it is 
difBcult to determine definitely the size and shape that the 
udder will assume when the animal freshens. The height of 
attachment behind can be discovered but only approximately 
how far it is carried forward. By the manner in which the 
thighs are arched and curved the width of udder develop- 
ment can be estimated but the examination of the udder does 
not truly indicate the length and form that will appear when 
the cow freshens As for the true length of udder the best 
indication is the length from the hip bone to the pin bones. 
When the cow is fresh and her udder is full a plumb bob 
dropped downward from the point of the hip bone falls 
immediately in front of the udder. Another dropped from 
the pin bones falls immediately behind the udder. Conse- 
quently, if the length from the hip bones to the pin bone 
is great, the length of the udder will be correspondingly 
great. 

Short and Drooping Rump Undesirable 

Cows short from the hip bone to the pin bone invari- 
ably have short, pendent udders and likewise those long in. 
these dimensions have udders that are attached high behind, 
extending far forward' which are conditions always to be 
desired. Many cows, though long in the rump, droop from the 

[59] 




llie rump is a valuable index tu follow in selecting dry cows 



[60] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

hip bones to the pin bones and are descril^ed by the expression 
"drooping rumped." This conformation not only detracts 
from the beauty of the cow but as a rule those cows which 
droop at the rump also have tilted or slanting udders a 
portion of which seems to have been cut away and this 
naturall}^ detracts from the ability of the cow. 

On the other hand those cows which carry out straight 
from the hip bones to the pin l)ones have udders that are 
straight on the bottom, symmetrical and carry well forward 
with each quarter large and uniform in size. The fact that 
the length of udder can be determined by the length from 
the hip bones to the pin bone, and the shape of the udder 
by the manner in which the rump is carried out, is likely 
due to the law of correlation of parts which enables the 
anatomist when he finds a bone to determine from its di- 
mensions the dimensions of every other bone in the animal's 
body from which it came. 

The association of the drooping rump and the tilted ud- 
der appears with more certainty in families than in individ- 
ual animals. In some of the dairy breeds there are families 
of cows that have been bred for many generations without 
regard to the length and straightness of tailhead and invari- 
ably in these families a large percentage of animals are 
found that are at once miserable appearing "critters" and at 
the same time are handicapped in their ability to yield 
profitably because part of their udder is gone. Even though 
in certain indivirluals that droop at the rump the udder is 
not very perceptibly faulty it may be taken as a rule that if 
offspring are continuously bred from animals of this con- 
formation the associated characteristics will in time follow. 



[61] 




[62] 



CHAPTER VII 

Other Desirable Points 

Form 

General form of the dairy cow is a point that has re- 
ceived much consideration and has been the topic of exten- 
sive discussion. It has not been considered as one of the 
real essential points in this book because it is doubtful if by 
securing the accepted form of the present day authorities 
the points that are really essential to great and economical 
production will follow or if by securing in the animal the 
essential points for production the most desirable form will 
result. Whichever is the case the great improvement need- 
ed on every farm in America is not only an increase in the 
yield of the cow but also a decrease in the cost of production. 

By selecting and breeding cows that show marked indi- 
cations of the five points discussed great progress will re- 
sult in these directions and as a further result the dairy form 
as called for in score cards and admired by breeders of dairy 
cattle will be much more prevalent among, the general rank 
and file of herds than it is at the present. 

Beauty 

Attractiveness of appearance, though hardly an essen- 
tial to great production, should never be lost sight of, for, 
other things being equal, the handsome cow will command 
the greatest respect when placed upon the market and will 
invariably sell for the highest price. If beauty were an in- 
dication of small or costly production, then it might be well 
to overlook its importance. Who, after seeing such cows as 
those that stand at the head of each dairy breed today be- 
cause of their great yearly records, will stake his reputation 
for good judgment on the assertion that it is only the broken- 
backed, drooping rumped, tilted-uddered, homely creatures 
that yield well. 

On the other hand it is safe to say that the breeder of 
dairy cattle who will be most successful in the future will 
be the one who because of the perfection of form and con- 
formation and beauty of contour of his animals is able to 
win laurels in the show yard and with the same animals 
produce records that are large enough to prove beyond a 

[63] 




[64] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

doubt that the handsome cows are the profitable khid to 
keep on the farm and in the dairy. Working the show ani- 
mals and showing the working animals is the great neces- 
sity that is now being recognized by breeders of dairy cattle 
for making popular the breeds and stimulating demand for 
the blood. 

Breed Type 

Dairy breeds differ greatly in color markings, size, yield 
and quality of milk and in several other minor ways. How- 
ever, having been bred for so many generations with the 
same real purpose in view, yielding butter-fat profitably, they 
do not differ greatly in this particular. There is at this time 
more difiference between the productix'e ability of various 
animals in any particular breed than there is between the dif- 
ferent breeds. 

It is not the purpose to go into a discussion of breed 
type further than to call attention to the fact that those 
characteristics peculiar to the breed are distinguishing fea- 
tures and must be given due consideration by the breeders 
of pure bred dairy cattle and by the show ring judge. These 
features are important in that they denote that the animal 
carries the blood lines of the particular breed she resembles 
and her production may be estimated accordingly. It is 
therefore reasonable to e.xpect that with given form and 
conformation she will yield milk in quantity and quality much 
like the breed from which she is a descendant. 

Color 

Color is a breed characteristic rather than a factor in the 
determination of the value of the cow. It has had much to do 
in making the history of some breeds and many herds. Many 
a great animal has been sacrificed because its color markings 
did not meet the approval of its breeder. Color has much to 
do in giving uniformity of appearance to a breed or to a herd 
but should never be the controlling factor in selecting cows 
for production. 

Like many other of the less important yet desirable 
characteristics it is an excellent plan to seek them through 
the sire, special care being taken that other and more im- 
portant requirements are not sacrificed. 

Size 

Considered from the standpoint of the beginner in the 
dairy business or the breeding of dairy cattle, size is the one 
great controlling factor. He selects cows that are large, re- 

[65] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

g-ardless of all other considerations. This is probably be- 
cause his earlier training has been with beef breeds of cattle 
and his past experience leads him to believe that small cows 
are delicate, small producers and unprofitable. 

Size is an admirable feature when it can be secured with- 
out a loss of quality but all experience proves that in making 
a choice between two cows, one excellent in quality but 
small and the other large but coarse and lacking a symmetrical 
development of the essential parts the former is' alwavs to 
be chosen. 






Great producers are economical producers 



r66i 



CHAPTER VIII 

How to Secure Cows Combining the 
Five Essential Points 

Although there are milHons of cows being milked on the 
farms of the United States, there are comparatively few that 
are not markedly deficient in one or more of the points that 
denote real worth. It is a well recognized fact that a great 
majority of the cows milked today are no better than the 
cows that were being milked 50 years ago, although there are 
many breeders and dairymen that have made great ad- 
vancement. They have improved their herds by selection 
and breeding and have pointed out to the world not only the 
possibilities that rest with the dairy cow but also the man- 
ner in which great cows can be produced. 

Those who own cows well developed in all of the five 
essential points are not desirous of parting with them be- 
cause such a cow is always recognized by the intelligent 
owner as a most profitable animal. She returns annually 
more net profit than any other animal on the farm and in 
many instances more profit than her selling price would 
amount to were she to be ofifered for sale. For this reason 
although cows excellent in, productive characteristics can 
be bought by the hundreds, they are very high priced as com- 
pared with common cow values. Nevertheless, they are worth 
many times as much and, rather than to milk a lot of cows 
that range from a loss to only a few dollars profit annually, 
it is advisable to bear in mind the points of a good cow. Se- 
cure in all events those that will return annual profits rang- 
ing from $50 upward for such an increase will pay interest 
on a greatly advanced cost price and at the same time pay for 
the cow in a short time. 

More Good Cows Needed 

Such cows should be numerous on every farm in America 
and no doubt the time is close at hand when they will be. With 
land increasing rapidly in value, food stufifs and labor be- 
coming expensive and scarce, he who milks is soon going 
to realize that it is a costly luxury to keep cows that do not 
pay a profit on the feed and labor expended upon them even 

[67] 




[68] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

though they do proA-e themselves extremely valuable in 
keeping- up the fertility of the farm. 

The scarcity and high price of good cows renders it 
impossible for everyone or even a large proportion of those 
who milk cows to dispose of the animals they are now milk- 
ing and fill their places with the more desirable type. There 
is a method, however, of superseding the common cow- with 
good individuals that is practical and advisable. That is by 
selection and breeding. 

Every breed of improved live stock known today has 
l)een developed by following well known laws of breeding 
and selection. The greatest of these laws is "Like begets 
like or the likeness of some ancestor." Never was there a 
law more true and he wdio is satisfied to milk and breed 
offspring from nonproductive cows with the same sort of 
ancestry may rest assured that he will never secure a great 
cow during the life time of drudgery that milking scrub 
cows assures. 



Improved Sires 



The solution of the problem of stocking farms with good 
cows rests largely upon the use of improved sires. The 
first consideration in selecting a sire should be the 
productive records of his maternal ancestry, that of his dam 
being the most important but dependant upon the records 
and individuality of the granddams, great-granddams and 
back through the pedigree for at least six generations. 

There are many who would not think of using other 
than a pure bred recorded sire and still in making the selec- 
tion no consideration is given except the question of 
whether or not ''papers" accompany the bull. These papers 
are always valuable, not so much because they indicate that 
the animal is pure bred, as because they tell the history of 
the animal's ancestry. Thousands of pure bred bulls are in 
use at this time whose purity of blood is boasted by their 
owners yet whose pedigrees say, "This bull's ancestors back 
for six generations were all veritable scrubs from the stand- 
point of milk and butter-fat production for there never has 
been a cow in the whole family that would give enough milk 
to raise her calf respectably." "Like produces like or the 
likeness of some ancestor." It makes no difference how good 
the cows in the present generation, the use of such a bull 
means retrogression and accounts for the fact that, on the 
general farm, cows are becoming poorer every generation. 
Bulls are being sold to thoughtless farmers at high prices 
under the cloak of registration papers regardless of the story 

[69] 




[70] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

the papers tell. It is the same old story of the signature on 
the contraci reappearing as the signature of a note because 
the indorser did not read the contract which contained the 
information. 

The Valuable Pedigree 

The pedigree that foretells improvement in future gen- 
erations is the one that points out that the females whose 
names and records compose it have all been great yielders 
of milk, butter-fat and profits. As surely as like produces 
like or the likeness of some ancestor such a sire will produce 
offspring that are an improvement over their mothers from 
the standpoint of production. This is the great value of a 
bull. Worthless indeed and an expensive possession is the 
bull whose daughters at the same age and under the same 
conditions produce less butter in a given time than their 
mothers did. 

After a careful consideration of the information im- 
parted by the pedigree, the individuality of the animal should 
be considered. Perhaps the first consideration should be 
whether or not he has the prepotency necessary for the re- 
production of the valuable traits of his ancestors. This is 
indicated by masculinity and character. If present the ani- 
mal will have the appearance and instincts of a bull ex- 
pressed in his every characteristic. 

Essential Points of the Bull 

In addition every point indicative of production in the 
cow^ should be present in the contour of the bull. He should 
be outstanding in all indications of constitution, capacity, 
nervous temperament, blood circulation and ability. 

To determine the presence or detect the absence of any 
of these essentials, the examination should begin at the head 
and end at the tip of the tail. The following description 
should be complied with : 

The nostrils should be large and open; the mouth large; 
the jaws broad, wide and strong; the face long and clean cut 
from the eye to the nose and extremely broad between eyes 
that are large, prominent yet placid and expressive. The 
horns, though heavy at the base, should be of reasonable 
size and not coarse; the ear of medium size, rather than 
coarse, and covered with short fine hair instead of that which 
is long, coarse and wiry. The neck should be long, clean 
cut in the throat latch, well developed in the region of the 
windpipe and well crested on top denoting masculinity. A 

[71] 




[72] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

head and neck of this description go far toward indi- 
cating- constitution, capacity, nervous temperament, charac- 
ter and prepotency, all of which are desirable points to be 
transmitted to the offspring. 

The shoulders should be oblique and hot coarse, although 
masculinity encourages coarseness to some extent and bulls 
are always heavier, comparatively, in the front quarters than 
cows. Depth of chest and obliqueness of shoulders tend to- 
ward narrowness at the withers. There being no reason for 
width at this point, it is a mark of excellency for the top of 
the shoulders to be pointed giving the animal a wedge shaped 
appearance when viewed from in front. 

As further indications of constitution, capacity and quality, 
the heart girth and Ijarrel should be long and deep, the ribs 
deep and well sprung, and the body covered with hide that 
is soft, pliable, elastic and oily, and hair fine and silky. These 
points with the exception of the character of the hide and 
hair are more evident in the male than in the female and 
therefore more readily distinguished. Furthermore, in the 
well bred sire of proper form the back bone shows greater 
development, is more open jointed and larger, and, like the 
well bred cow of desirable conformation, there is an absolute 
freedom from beefiness in these regions and over the entire 
body. 

Much consideration should be given the hind quarters of 
the animal, for these parts indicate the ability he is liable to 
transmit to his female offspring. Reasonable width between 
prominent hip bones, great length and straightness from the 
hip to the pin bones and width through the thurls indicate 
that there will be a like conformation in the calves. In the 
case of heifer calves these points indicate that when they 
have grown to cowhood they will have roomy productive 
organs and long well balanced udders. If the rump is short 
and drooping, and there is narrowness between the thurls, it 
is quite likely that the calves will be of the same conformation 
and few if any well formed and balanced udders will result 
from his use. 

A^iewed from behind, the thighs should be thin, well 
curved and free from fat and beef, forming an arch that is at 
once high and broad. By conveying the same peculiarity to 
his effeminate oft'spring suitable provision is made for the 
placement of an udder that may be wide and hung well up be- 
hind. Bulls beefy in the hind quarters and not cut well up 
behind should be guarded against as their heifers are seldom 
of a desirable sort. 

As an indication of the size of the udders and the place- 



[73] 




[74] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

ment of the teats on the progeny of the bull the rudimentary 
teats which should be found forward on the scrotum, should 
be recognized as an index. It is believed that if these teats 
are large the teats of the female progeny will be large and if 
the rudimentaries are placed far apart the teats on his daugh- 
ters will be placed far apart. In addition to being a desirable 
trait, this is an indication that the udder will be both long 
and wide. 

Mammary veins and milk wells are important points to 
observe in selecting sires, for, as in the cow, they indicate 
the volume of blood flowing to the lower parts of the body. 
In so much as it is so important that there be a great flow of 
blood through the udder of the cow, it is necessary that the 
characteristics of the bull indicate that he will transmit that 
trait to his descendants. 

Bulls differ greatly in size, length and development of 
mammary veins much as do cows. Some of them have 
large veins that pass as far forward as the shoulder pits and 
others veins that are small and short with no signs of branches 
and ending in milk wells that are so small that they are 
difficult to find. It is not to be expected that these veins and 
wells will be as large as those of the cow for the same reason 
that the veins of a young heifer or a cow far advanced in the 
period of lactation will not be as large as those of an older 
cow or one that is giving a large flow of milk. Heavy pro- 
duction develops the size and it is noticeable that cows well 
fed and forced to yield large amounts of milk for a long period 
exhibit greater veins and wells than those that have never 
been stimulated to do their best. Nevertheless the presence 
of large, tortuous, long branching veins and large, numerous 
milk wells on the sire indicate that his heifers will have cor- 
respondingly desirable veins and wells. When they come 
into milk they may be developed by good care and feeding. 
Other things being equal they will be more productive than 
the descendants of a bull less developed in these respects. 

Good vs. Poor Sires 

Pointing to the great value of a good sire and to the utter 
worthlessness of a poor one, are the experiments that were 
carried on at the Missouri experiment station by Prof. Eckles, 
who says : 

"In 1884 the Missouri Agricultural College bought four 
registered Jersey cows and the entire herd we have on hand 
today is descended from these cows. Of course, herd bulls 
have been purchased from outside but no female has been 
bought. Since 1892 complete milk and butter-fat records have 



[75] 




[76] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

been kept of every cow. Up until 1901 practically every fe- 
male was retained in the herd regardless of her dairy quali- 
ties. These conditions give an opportunity to study the effect 
of sires which can hardly be duplicated anywhere. The first 
bull used was Missouri Rioter, a son of Bachelor of St. Lam- 
bert. There is no record indicating the dairy quality of his 
dam. In fact his sire is the only animal in his pedigree 
known to be a strong breeder. This bull was a very weak 
breeder. His daughters averaged 4,336 pounds of milk per 
year while their dams averaged 5,380, a decline on the aver- 
age of 1,044 pounds of milk per year each. The average fat 
production of the dams was 234 while the daughters everag- 
ed onlv 216, a decline of 18 pounds per cow from the dams 
to the daughters. * * * * 

Hugorotus 

"The next bull used in this herd was Hugorotus. He was 
a cheap bull without any high testing animals in his pedigree. 
His mother, however, is said to have been a good cow. The 
daughters of this bull were inferior to their dams in milk pro- 
duction, but on account of a higher per cent of fat they gained 
slightly in fat production. 

"Ten daughters fell a total of 3,770 pounds of milk per 
year behind their dams but gained 100 pounds of fat. The 
general results of using this bull were disastrous. In fact, 
the poorest animals ever in the herd were his offspring. The 
averages shown are made as good as they are only by the 
fact that two full sisters sired by this bull, through some 
'nick,' proved first-class animals. 

"When the herd was culled on milk records alone, nine 
out of the 11 daughters of this bull, then in the herd, were 
sold to the butcher. The two remaining were the full sisters 
mentioned. As long as this bull was in the herd, the general 
tendency was backward. * =i= * * 

Lome of Meridale 

"The next bull at the head of the herd was Lome of Meri- 
dale. This bull had a splendid pedigree from the standpoint 
of records and his offspring show the results. His daughters, 
with one exception, were all superior to the dams. The aver- 
age milk production was raised from 4,542 pounds per year to 
5,751 ; the fat production from 220 to 280 pounds per year. At 
butter-fat prices the 10 daughters of Lome of Meridale re- 
turned each year $150 more than their dams. What a differ- 
•ence from the results from Missouri Rioter. * * * * 



1771 




All the desirable points of the head are here 



[78] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

Missouri Rioter 3d 

"The next herd bull was Missouri Rioter 3d. This bull 
was the son of Missouri Rioter and was the only real good 
thing this latter sire left in the herd. The remarkable quali- 
ties of Missouri Rioter 3d may come in part from his dam, 
which was the best cow in the herd up to that time. She, like 
the sire, was the offspring of Bachelor of St. Lambert. 

"Tht best cows ever in our herd were sired by Missouri 
Rioteer 3d. From dams with average records of 4,609 pounds 
of milk he sired daughters whose records average 7,154 
pounds. The dams averaged 238 pounds fat per year and 
the daughters raised this to 348. Ten daughters of this bull 
produced $275 worth of fat per year more than their dams. 
* * >ic * This bull was raised on the college farm and, 
as is often the case, because he was a home product instead 
of coming from a distant state, he was not counted of any 
special value, and was sold from the herd without any record 
ever being made as to his purchaser and was never transfer- 
red. His remarkable breeding value was recognized when it 
was too late and now we would like the chance of giving 
$1,000 to have him back. 

Minnette's Pedro 

"Minnette's Pedro is the last herd bull with a sufficient 
number of daughters to give figures of any value. The herd 
remained practically at a standstill while he was at its head. 
In general this was not a very prepotent bull since we have 
wide variations and a lack of uniformity in his offspring. 
Among them are some excellent cows and some worthless. 
From the good dams we secured good daughters ; from in- 
inferior dams the same quality of daughters." 

Summing Up 

Of the five sires used in the history of the herd two 
increased the production, two lessened it and by the use of the 
fifth, the herd remained at a standstill. Were records kept of 
results attained on all farms they would not in many cases 
be found to be better and in many herds much worse. 

By the use of one bull 110 pounds of butter-fat, worth 
at least $30 is added to the average annual production per 
cow. If in his lifetime he sires 100 daughters, each of which 
work for 10 years he has proven his value. By the use of 
another bull 18 pounds of butter-fat worth over $4 is lost from 
the average annual production per cow. If in this bull's life 
time he sires 100 daughters each of which works for 10 years 
his absolute worthlessness is proven. 

[79] 




Width of hip essential to reproduction 



[80] 



CHAPTER IX 

The Accurate Proof of the 
Cow's Value 

Experience, care and good judgment exercised in. exam- 
ining cows soon lead to efficiency in detecting the points, the 
presence or absence of which indicates production. Especial- 
ly valuable is the knowledge gained by a close study of the 
world's greatest cows and fixing thoroughly in mind the pe- 
culiar characteristics that account for their great work. In 
fact it is possible and advisable to study them so carefully 
that a distinct picture becomes impressed upon the mind's 
eye and then it is always possible to use them as models by 
which to measure other cows. 

Mistakes in the selection of animals should not be a 
cause for discouragement. The best of judges make plenty 
of them and few are the herds indeed in which there are not 
counterfeits when judged by the pail and churn. Accurate 
as may be the ability of selecting gpod cows and discrimi- 
nating against poor ones no judge has ever yet become suf- 
ficiently accomplished to prophesy the true productivity of 
the individual cow. A careful consideration of the points to 
be observed in selecting cows will invariably enable one to 
choose a good cow but, after he has chosen, he knows not 
just how good the cow may or may not be. The eye is not 
accurate enough to determine within a few pounds or some- 
times within a few thousand pounds of how much milk a cer- 
tain cow has the power of producing in a year. Neither is 
it possible to know within one or two per cent how rich her 
milk may be. So long as it is true that a careful consideration 
of the outward appearance of the cow is no more accurate 
than this, although being a valuable and absolutely necessary 
guide in selecting animals to add to the herd, it is well, in 
learning which ones to keep and which ones to dispose of, to 
supplement it with additional information. This will give 
the accurate worth of the herd since its future character de- 
pends largely upon the merit of the individuals in it. 

The most accurate method of learning the cow's real 
productive power is the simplest and yet the mere suggestion 
of it seems such a bugbear to many that it is the least used. 
This fact is not onlv true of the farmer and dairvman but ap- 



[81] 




Masculinity and character 



£82] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

plies also to a large percentage of breeders of no small repu- 
tation. Great changes have taken place in most breeds dur- 
ing the past few years and greater changes are yet to follow. 
In the future the famous breeder will be the one who knows 
his cows to a certainty, having learned them through the 
only accurate manner, that of weighing and testing the milk 
and keeping the records up to date and prizing them as he 
now does that which the pedigree and conformation implies. 
Then and not until then, will the greatest advancement ensue, 
for few indeed are the breeders who can boast of the fact that 
they ne\'er sold their best cow without knowing how really 
great she was. 

Keeping Records 

Furthermore, when all who term themselves breeders of 
pure bred dairy cattle weigh and test the milk of their cows, 
the general farmer will soon do likewise and it is then that he 
will appreciate the blood that the breeder has to dispose of 
through his bull calves. Not more than one year of record 
keeping is necessary to convince the most skeptical that blood 
will tell and that like produces like and records will point con- 
clusively to the fact that certain breeds and certain families 
are decidedly more productive than others and that a still 
greater difference exists between individuals. 

Continuous weighing and testing of milk, keeping in 
touch with the records, and by their use selecting the best 
cows to keep and those to sell to the man who has not time 
to keep records ; the use of good sires from productive an- 
cestry and raising the best calves from the best cows will 
result in time in a wonderful herd. 

In fact it matters little how poor the herd being milked 
today, careful and accurate selection of cows and sires to 
mate with them will insure in a few generations a herd so 
great that if properly fed and cared for will have few superiors 
even including the breeder's herd. 

Establishing records for individual cows with the scales 
and Babcock test demonstrates and proves the successes and 
failures in selecting cows. There is no better source of in- 
formation for establishing knowledge pertaining to the types, 
breeds and families of cows that are desirable. By learning 
the mistakes once made one is in a position to guard against 
the same mistakes the second time while great as may be the 
mistake, if the maker never learns of it, he will readily 
make the same mistake a second, third and indefinite num- 
ber of times. On the other hand it matters little how great 
the success once made, if the maker never learns of it, he is 
not in a position to repeat it with certainty. 

[83] • ""^^ "^ 







Width of udder. 



[84] 



VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 

Cost of Production 

Greatness of production as proven by weighing and test- 
ing the milk is not the complete record of the greatness of 
the cow for the question still remains as to the cost of 
production. And, after all, this is the vital question and the 
one that is growing in importance continually. It is the rule 
that the cow which yields largely of milk and butter-fat is 
the economical producer but it often occurs that of two cows 
producing the same amounts of milk and butter-fat in a given 
time one of them does so at a much less cost for feed. True 
it is that the difference in profits is not so largely governed by 
the cost of feed as in the yield but as conditions change, land 
becomes higher in price, feeds and labor scarcer and more 
expensive this difference will widen. Many dairymen even 
now weigh the food consumed by their individual cows and 
by doing so they reduce their business to the same commer- 
cial basis considered absolutely necessary in other lines 
of business. It pays, and pays well, for if in no other way 
it teaches the feeder the capacity and the ability of each cow. 
It enables him to exact the best work from her. Practical 
lessons of this sort are the valuable ones in rendering re- 
liable the opinions relative to both the selection and feeding 
of cows for ereat and economical records. 




[85] 



Feminine qualities 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



